Bayeslisk comments on Open Thread for February 11 - 17 - Less Wrong

3 Post author: Coscott 11 February 2014 06:08PM

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Comment author: BloodyShrimp 18 February 2014 10:51:56PM *  0 points [-]

Knightian uncertainty is uncertainty where probabilities can't even be applied. I'm not convinced it exists. Some people seem to think free will is rescued by it; that the human mind could be unpredictable even in theory, and this somehow means it's "you" "making choices". This seems like deep confusion to me, and so I'm probably not expressing their position correctly.

Reductionism could be consistent with that, though, if you explained the mind's workings in terms of the simplest Knightian atomic thingies you could.

Comment author: Bayeslisk 20 February 2014 11:00:41AM 0 points [-]

Can you give me some examples of what some people think constitutes Knightian uncertainty? Also: what do they mean by "you"? They seem to be postulating something supernatural.

Comment author: BloodyShrimp 23 February 2014 05:59:24AM 1 point [-]

Again, I'm not a good choice for an explainer of this stuff, but you could try http://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=1438

Comment author: Bayeslisk 24 February 2014 07:01:17PM 0 points [-]

Thanks! I'll have a read through this.

Comment author: BloodyShrimp 27 February 2014 05:16:08AM *  0 points [-]

I decided I should actually read the paper myself, and... as of page 7, it sure looks like I was misrepresenting Aaronson's position, at least. (I had only skimmed a couple Less Wrong threads on his paper.)